The Sepsis
by ieevee
Summary: Inuyasha gets wounded, and as the wound gets infected, he gets sepsis, and starts to fight for his life. Extreme hurt/comfort and friendship.
1. The Wound

1 – The Wound

It was a normal, sunny and beautiful day in Tokyo, Japan. Normal for everybody else, except for one, young girl, who could experience something no-one else could. She could travel through time.

And so she did, once again.

There was this old, dried well in a shack in her home's yard. And that well led her 500 years back in time, to Japan's feudal era. But only she could travel.

She and a dog-eared hanyou boy called Inuyasha.

And that day this boy was sitting at the well back in his time, waiting for her to arrive. She had been gone for a few days. And, unlike Inuyasha admitted, he already missed her. But he was too proud to go get her with him.

"Haven't seen her yet?" asked a man in black robes, Miroku, who just walked to Inuyasha. The boy shook his head slowly.

"I have an idea", Miroku sighed, rubbing his neck. "Just go and get her."

"Keh!" Inuyasha snorted, but suddenly saw a small flash of light from the bottom of the well. Inuyasha's dog ears jumped up and he smiled a little. If he had a tail, it would be wagging. Miroku smiled too. Kagome started climbing up the well along a ladder.

"I'm back", Kagome cheered and jumped out of the well.

"Welcome back, Kagome -sa..." Miroku tried to say, but was interrupted by this:

"Let's go already!" Inuyasha urged and took the lead, the duo following him. Soon they were in Kaede's village. This Kaede was was one of their friends, an old lady, the leading priestess of this village. Even as a leader, she lived in an old, pretty small shack. This was also home for Inuyasha and his friends, where they lived when they weren't on their way, hunting Shikon jewel shards.

The trio got in...

"Nice to see you again, Kagome-chan!" greeted Sango, who sat by the fire in the middle of Kaede's hut. Her beloved pet-cat Kirara mewed and ran to Kagome, rubbed against her leg and purred. Kagome smiled, took the cat in her arms and came in.

"We have just finished our cooking", Kaede said, while stirring the soup in a pot above the fire. With his dog senses, Inuyasha could smell the scent very sharply, and oh man it was delicious! He, of course, didn't want to admit it.

Everyone sat around the fire as Kaede dished out the soup in small bowls.

"Tomorrow we will be on our way again", Inuyasha announced while eating.

"Yes, I have packed up all we will need in my backpack", Kagome winked.

So the night came. Kaede's hut was divided in two. One side for women (and Shippo, the women didn't mind the little one sleep beside them), other for Inuyasha and Miroku. Everyone seemed asleep, except Inuyasha. He laid on his back staring at the ceiling. It was so quiet, even he couldn't hear a thing... Until he heard someome get up from bed. Inuyasha turned his head towards the "women side" and saw Kagome, walking towards him.

"Huh? Sleepwalking?" the boy wondered quietly. Kagome just smiled, kneeled down and placed her hand on his forehead.

"Na-ah", she said and laid down beside him. Inuyasha blushed harshly, but closed his eyes and leaned against the girl, who laid her ear on his chest.

"Heh, I can hear your heart pounding!" she smiled. For a while both were quiet, until Kagome whispered;

"I'm so glad everything is alright."

Inuyasha closed his eyes, and after a while, they both fell asleep.

"Hello...!"

'Huh...?'

"Hello! Good morning!" That was Shippo. And Inuyasha sat up right away after seeing the little, grinning boy. "Had a nice night did ya?"

Inuyasha looked like he was making up excuses, Kagome just nodded with a smile.

"Okay now, let's have some breakfast", Miroku announced. "We'll be leaving soon."

And so the group left. They had been walking for almost two days by now, but no demons, no sense of Shikon shards. Until suddenly...

Inuyasha heard a step from somewhere quite far. Far enough for only him to hear it. He stopped the group from walking and grabbed his katana's handle.

"It's coming closer. A demon."

Everyone got ready for a fight. Inuyasha could hear the demon's steps getting nearer and nearer. And finally it jumped out from the woods. And so the fight began.

This demon was pretty tough. It was very fast and slick. And just when Inuyasha was trying to make kaze no kizu, the demon finally hit him. It's huge claws ripped his right arm open so bad it shattered his bone and made blood scatter. Inuyasha fell on his knees and held his hand on the wound, baring his fangs.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted and ran to him. "Are you okay?! You're not okay!"

"I think my bone is broken..." Inuyasha hissed in pain. His arm felt like it's burning.

"Inuyasha!" Sango shouted and turned to Miroku. "Houshi-sama..."

"We'll take it from here", said Miroku.

It would be so easy to just kill this demon with Miroku's kazaana, but it was too big – he wouldn't be able to endure it. So they had to rely on his demon exorcism tags, Kagome's arrows, Hiraikotsu and Kirara.

It took a while, but the demon was finally finished. And no-one got hurt, except Inuyasha.

"Dear Buddha, that was one of a fight", Miroku sighed, rubbing his neck. "How about Inu...?"

The boy was still on his knees, blood bleeding like a waterfall, doing something his friends had never seen before – he was licking his wound like a almost made others grin, but when they heard him whimper and walked to him, they sure weren't amused anymore. The boy's mouth and cheeks were stained in blood.

The arm was ripped apart and the wound was so deep they could see the shattered bone.

"This must be the deepest wound I have ever seen..." Kagome said. "It must be treated right away!"

And so the girl took her backpack and started looking for her fist-aid kit. But what on earth? She had dug the pack three times, and finally emptied it completely, but the kit was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh please don't tell me..." Kagome shook her head, hopeless. "It seems I left the kit at Kaede's."

"WHAT?!" everyone shouted.

"We must get back to the village", Miroku said. "As soon as possible."

And so they got on their way. Inuyasha walked last of the group. He didn't want others to see him licking his wound. But Kagome looked over her shoulder and saw this, so she turned around sand said:

"Don't do that. It wont help."

"Don't you tell me what will and will not help! My mom never disallowed this!"

Kagome went quiet, sighed and turned back towards the group.

They wouldn't get back today yet, so they camped in the forest, by a small river. They started building up the camp. Miroku carried some branches for fire, which Sango lit up with matches Kagome gave her. Kagome had taken a few pots of instant ramen from her backpack, and a small iron pot for boiling the water.

"I'll get the water!" Kagome shouted back at Sango, who nodded. Kagome walked to the river – and saw Inuyasha's clothes as a messy pile on the shore. For a while Kagome just wondered what was going on, until Inuyasha squirted out of the water.

"Inuyasha! Come eat! We have some ramen!"

"Thanks but no thanks."

'What? Inuyasha doesn't want ramen?' Kagome wondered. But, oh well, all right then. She couldn't make him.

The water was boiling in the pot, and Kagome gave everyone a pot of ramen. After they had eaten for a while, wet-haired Inuyasha joined them.

"I knew it! You would never skip ramen!" Kagome smiled. "Here!"

"I don't feel hungry", Inuyasha said. Kagome's eyes widened.

"What's with you? Do you have a fever?" she asked, maybe more like joking. But when she reached to Inuyasha and touched his forehead...

"...You have a fever..."


	2. The Fever

2 – The Fever

"You feel really warm..." Kagome said quietly.

"Keh!" Inuyasha snorted.

"But do you feel unwell?"

"No", Inuyasha said. But he was lying. He was feeling really cold.

And so they all went to sleep. The fire was turned off and everyone were asleep. Except Inuyasha. He was lying on ground, curled up, his arms wrapped around him, shivering a little.

'Goddamn... What's going on...?' he cursed in his head and tightened up his arms.

Morning came. The sun shone in the sky, waking up everyone.

"Mornin'!" Shippo shouted cheerfully. Everyone started getting ready to get on their way to Kaede. But, unlike usually, Inuyasha was the last person up. He was still lying there. Kagome walked to him.

"Inuyasha", she said. Inuyasha first twitched his ear, then sat up and yawned. Oh man he was exhausted.

Kagome studied the boy's face. He seemed very tired and in pain. She grabbed Inuyasha's robe's right sleeve and revealed the wound. And she didn't like what she saw. The wound was screaming red, and stained in dry blood, even though Inuyasha had bathed in the river yesterday. That meant the wound was still bleeding a little. Kagome reached to the wound, which made both Inuyasha and Kagome flinch. She started looking worried, and reached for his forehead. Inuyasha evaded this with a silent growl.

"Inuyasha, please let me touch your forehead", Kagome said seriously. Inuyasha looked at her for a few seconds, and let the girl touch him.

"Your fever... It's rising by the minute!", Kagome gasped loudly. "We have to get to Kaede's village!"

Kirara answered to this by turning in her big shape.

"Kirara can carry him. Inuyasha can't walk that far in this condition", Sango said. Inuyasha stared at them with his ears down against his head, but walked to Kirara and got on her back.

"Let's go!" Miroku shouted, and so they started walking the road as fast as they could. With this pace they would be back in the village by sundown.

Inuyasha laid on Kirara's back on his stomach, limp. He had started feeling a little dizzy and blurry a few hours back.

"How are you feeling, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, petting the boy's shoulder. Inuyasha turned his eyes to her.

"I'm fine..."

"I don't believe you."

It was getting dark when they finally arrived at the village. Miroku knocked Kaede's hut's wall beside the door.

"Come in", Kaede's voice called.

"Inuyasha, get down", Sango said. Inuyasha almost fell down, but remained on his feet. And so, Kirara turned back into her small form. They all walked in, and saw Kaede sitting by the fire.

"Well didn't ye come back soon", she wondered. "I was expecting ye to be away for... a week, maybe?."

"We would have been", Miroku nodded. "But Inuyasha got a bad wound in his arm, which must be treated, and..."

"So that's why ye came. Ye see..." the old lady got slowly up and walked to the closet, taking out Kagome's first-aid kit. "...Ye forgot this."

"Give it to me!" Kagome shouted out, ran to Kaede and took the kit. She sat on the floor and pet the floor beside her. "Take your haoris off. I'll clean your wound."

Kagome started examining the boy's wound.

"You're really badly hurt...""

"It's okay... don't worry", he said a little groggy.

"It's not okay. The wound must be cleaned and bandaged before it gets infected."

"I said; It's okay."

"Inuyasha please, let me help you."

Inuyasha sighed, and let the girl first disinfect the wound. Inuyasha hissed in pain quietly. Then Kagome took bandages out from the kit, starting to wrap the boy's arm.

"Finished!" Kagome smiled and turned at the kit. "And, the next thing..." she said and started looking for the thermometer. She found it in a matter of seconds and showed it to Inuyasha.

"You do know what this is?" Kagome ensured. Inuyasha nodded, and so Kagome put it in his mouth. They waited for a while, and Kagome took it back. Her eyes widened. "103,8... You have a really high fever..."

"What is wrong with Inuyasha?" Shippo asked, worried.

"I... I don't know I..." Kagome stammered. Kaede got up, slowly walked to Inuyasha and sat down beside him.

"Let me see", the old lady said quietly. Inuyasha had a bad feeling about this, and turned his ears back.

And so Kaede was about to do some examinations on him. She checked his pulse by pressing her finger on his wrist, and told him;

"Lie down."

Inuyasha didn't object and got on his back. Kaede pressed her ear against his chest and listened for a while.

"Ye have a really high pulse, raspy breath, high fever..." she said quietly.

"Do you know what this is?" Miroku asked. "Just a flu?"

"Mmh... I'm sorry but I am no doctor. I don't know."

"Well, what can we do?" Sango asked.

"Just wait and see. Maybe he will be fine in a few days."

"...And if not?" Kagome questioned with a very serious face.

"Then I think we are in big trouble."

Inuyasha had fallen asleep on a mattress a few hours ago. Meanwhile Kaede and Sango were cooking some soup, and herbal tea for Inuyasha.

"This is the best I can do", Kaede said while pouring the tea in a cup. "Give this to him."

Kagome nodded and crawled quietly to the boy.

"Hey, Inuyasha..." she whispered and shook his shoulder gently. Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly. "Here, have this. Kaede made it just for you", she said with a small smile.

First Inuyasha thought he'd pass, but, slowly and shaking a bit, sat up. He accepted the cup and drank it sip by sip. But after the last sip he suddenly stopped.

"What, Inu-?" Kagome tried to ask, but instantly Inuyasha gagged and threw up all he had drank on floor. He gagged and hacked, until his stomach was empty.

Everyone went silent.

"O-oh..." Kagome stammered as Inuyasha collapsed back down on his back. He was panting. "D-don't worry, we'll clean this up. Really, I..."

"Here, Kagome-chan", said Sango, who held a wet piece of cloth to her. Kagome started wiping the floor.

"You'll be alright in a few days, Inuyasha..." Kagome said while wiping the floor. "Everything will be alright. We-we'll be back on our Shikon search, we will kill demons together, I will cook some ramen for you, and..."

Everyone looked at Kagome, and saw one tear fall down her cheek. Miroku sighed, walked to Kagome, kneeled down and laid his arm on Kagome's shoulder.

"He will be fine. Trust me."

It was getting dark. The fire in the hut's fireplace had been shut down and everyone was trying to get some sleep. It wasn't easy. And why?

Because Inuyasha had started coughing. Hard and almost non-stop. It was annoying, yes, but it didn't anger others. They just got sad, but still tried to sleep. But finally Miroku couldn't take it anymore, got up and crawled to Inuyasha, who was lying on the mattress on his side.

"Inuyasha, are you-?" He stopped when he saw there was scattered blood on the floor, and Inuyasha's right hand was stained in it. "Kagome! Sango! Kaede! Wake up!"

"What is it, Miro..." Sango yawned and got up. And when she saw Inuyasha, she was frightened. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes and panted. He was dripping in sweat.

Kagome woke up and ran to Inuyasha. Without hesitating, she placed her hand on his forehead, drew it back right away, crawled to her backpack, took the thermometer out and returned to Inuyasha. She put it in his mouth, and everyone followed this scene silently. .

"...Oh God... 107,5..." Kagome gasped after checking the thermometer. "We have to get a doctor! Right now!"

"A very, very high fever, coughing and vomiting... Sounds like this is getting really bad..." Miroku sighed.

"No! This is getting life-threatening!" Kagome cried. "Is there a doctor near?"

Everyone was quiet for a while, looking at each other, helplessly. Until Kaede said:

"Not near, but I know one doctor in the village beyond the Mountain Of The Sun."

"But we don't have time to get there and back!" Kagome shouted.

"I know what to do. Me and Kirara will fly to the village and bring him here", Sango said. "However, it will take half a day."

"...I quess we have no choice", Kagome nodded.

Sango got ready right away. Kirara, in her big form, was standing outside the hut, waiting for Sango.

"We will be back tomorrow afternoon", she announced. "Hang in there, Inuyasha." And so they rose up towards the clouds and disappeared in the distance.

There they sat, Miroku and Kagome, on Kaede's hut's verandah. Inuyasha was finally sleeping, after the rough night of coughing. But Shippo didn't want to leave his side. The little kitsune was lying against Inuyasha's chest, heartbroken.

"Inuyasha... Please don't die. We like you. Besides, you once got a hole in your tummy and you got better..." He hugged the hanyou with his tiny hands and whimpered.

"Ye are right", said Kaede, who was looking at them. "It is a bit strange... He could even walk with the hole in his stomach... Now nothing even that big has happened, and he is this sick..."

Then they heard Inuyasha moan. Kaede turned at him and Shippo backed off a little.

"How are ye feeling, son?" Kaede asked quiet.

"...I've... got a headache..."

"Is Inuyasha awake?!" Kagome's voice shouted from outside. The girl ran in from the door and stopped to analyze the situation. She jogged to the boy's side and kneeled down. "You want something? Ramen? A cookie? Chocolate milk? Anything?"

"No I... I wanna sleep..." Inuyasha moaned and closed his eyes. Kagome stared at him for a while, then turned to Kaede.

"I quess we just have to wait for Sango and the doctor", the old lady said. Kagome just nodded, silent, starting to stroke the boy's hair gently.


	3. More Trouble

3 – More Trouble

The wait was agonizing. Kagome sat at sleeping Inuyasha's side, rubbing his dog ear gently. She was really scared. What would the doctor say? She had no idea what could this be. She wasn't very good at health education at school. All she could do was treat wounds and give painkillers.

"I don't know what's wrong with him, but I am sure that this is no common cold", Kaede announced.

"...Could this be pneumonia?" Kagome wondered.

"Maybe."

"But Inuyasha can manage one pneumonia! I know he can!"

Knock knock!

And so Sango came in. And after her, a man with a backpack on his back.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Arayo, nice to meet you", he introduced himself politely, shaking Miroku's, Kagome's and Kaede's hands. Everyone nodded, with smiles of relief. Finally they would know what was wrong with Inuyasha!

"So", the doctor kneeled down beside Inuyasha. "How are you feeling, er...?"

"Oh, Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted out.

"Inuyasha. How are you feeling, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou opened his eyes and looked at the doctor.

"I'm cold..." he whimpered, shaking. The doctor nodded, held his hand the boy's forehead for a while and sighed. He examined Inuyasha just like Kaede did; took his pulse and listened to his chest. He also took a wooden stick from his first-aid kit and stuck it on the boy's tongue.

"Your throat seems infected badly", he said. "Is it sore?"

Inuyasha nodded slowly.

"Okay then... Let's see your wound", the doctor said. And so his bandage was peeled off. It had dried and hardened on the wound, so it came off in pieces. Inuyasha whimpered like a puppy as the bandage wore off.

"Oh dear, oh dear..." the doctor bemoaned.

"I...is something wrong?" Kagome asked.

"The wound is severely infected. As I was traveling here with your friend", he said, pointing at Sango, "she told me Inuyasha has been coughing up blood and vomiting... And being this feeble, with a fever this high..."

Everyone remained quiet.

"I... I am very sorry to say this, but it seems Inuyasha has severe sepsis. Severe sepsis is the next state of sepsis, and the next and last state is septic shock, which leads to...""

"Leads to what?" Kagome asked, not understanding the situation.

"...Death", the doctor said very seriously.

Now everybody flinched horrified, Kagome almost screamed. Only Shippo remained calm.

"What's a sepsis?" the little one asked.

"Blood poisoning", Miroku answered quickly. He turned back at the doctor and asked: "What can we do to help him?"

"It's really sad to tell you this, but..." the doctor sighed. "...Most people who get sick with sepsis, die. You Can survive from severe sepsis, but not septic shock. There is no known cure. Some people make it, and some just don't. I am very sorry. But you don't need to be careful taking care of him, sepsis is not contagious."

"But how can we know when.. I mean if he goes to septic shock?" Miroku asked.

"If he starts vomiting blood, just getting weaker or even higher fever... But the sepsis is not his only problem. If he keeps vomiting all he eats and drinks, he will get malnourished and dehydrated, which is very dangerous, especially dehydration. A human can't survive without fluids for many days."

"But Inuyasha is not a human", Kagome said.

"Maybe, but even though I have never treated a hanyou before, I think he is no different."

The whole hut went silent, they could only hear Inuyasha gough few dry hacks. Kagome felt tears come into her eyes.

"Inuyasha..." she said on the verge of tears. "Inuyasha, please get well... Inuyasha..." And she broke to tears. She ran out from the hut. The people in the hut could hear her screaming in grief outside.

Miroku didn't know what to think. He sat still and stared at Inuyasha, who was curled up on the mattress, panting. Sango had tears in her eyes, covering her mouth with her hand. Shippo was crying quietly. He pulled Kaede's kimono's sleeve and asked silently;

"Will Inuyasha die?"

Kaede couldn't answer. She, too, was about to cry. She stroke the little boy's hair slowly.

"We don't really have much money, this is all we've got", said Miroku, as he was paying the doctor, emptying his small bag of money. "Is this enough?"

"Of course", the doctor nodded. "I am here to help, not to take money."

"Thank you so much", Sango bowed a little.

"Don't mention. I wish Inuyasha to get well. I really do."

"But let me ask, how many of your patients with sepsis got well?" Miroku asked.

The doctor went silent and gave a serious look in the monk's eyes.

"None."

This made Miroku and Sango get horrified. But Sango couldn't just stay here and grieve, since she and Kirara had to take the doctor back. And so they left, leaving others behind.

Kagome had calmed down a bit. Now she sat at the hut's verandah, crying quietly. Miroku sat beside her.

"Are you all right, Kagome-sama?" he asked.

"This is my fault", the girl sobbed. "All my fault!"

"What do you mean? I wasn't you who injured Inuyasha. Vice versa - you were the one who treated his wound!"

"But I was too late! The wound had already got infected! It was my fault, because it was me who forgot the first-aid kit here!"

"Oh but Kagome-sama, you didn't do it on purpose", Miroku calmed the girl.

Inuyasha wasn't asleep, but he was lying down, panting and coughing every now and then. He opened his eyes a little and saw his friends sitting by the fire. He hacked really loud and started slowly sitting up.

"Inuyasha!" everyone shouted.

"Take it easy, take it easy..." Kagome shushed and got beside him, supportinng him with her hand behind his back. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?"

"I'm... so goddamn cold..." the boy mumbled.

"You should eat. Please. We have some ramen."

"I don't wanna..." he moaned, but suddenly something unexpected happened.

Inuyasha went limp in Kagome's arms, taking a few deep breaths, falling unconscious.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted out and started shaking the boy. First gently, then harder and harder, but the boy didn't wake up. "Somebody do something!" the girl shouted. Everyone gathered around them.

"What are we going to do? What are we going to do?!" Kagome screamed.

"Calm down, Kagome-sama..." Miroku tried to calm her, but no good.

"Calm down? Calm down?! Inuyasha has sepsis and is unconscious! And I am supposed to calm down!?"

"Listen, Kagome", Sango said, placing her hand gently on Kagome's shoulder. "Getting hysterical won't help. We must stay calm and help Inuyasha the best we can."

And so the day went by, and the night came. Everyone almost missed Inuyasha's coughing, but there he laid, unconscious, panting and sweating. The only one who was awake in this hut was Kirara. She had been sleeping next to Sango, but jumped off her arms and tiptoed to Inuyasha's side. She curled up against him and closed her eyes.

"Good morning", greeted Kaede right after sunrise. Everyone started getting up slowly. But Sango got surprised; Kirara wasn't in her arms anymore.

"Where is Kira-" Sango wondered, until she saw the cat sleeping next to Inuyasha. "Isn't that sweet..." the woman smiled.

"Are you awake, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked. Not apparently. Everyone gathered around the fire for breakfast.

"But Kagome, couldn't you go get medicine for Inuyasha from future?" Sango suggested with a bowl of porridge in her hands.

"Yes, I remember you once told even pneumonia can almost always be cured!" Miroku nodded.

"I'm really sorry but even in my time sepsis is very often a fatal disease. Though it Can be treated, sepsis medicine can't be bought from pharmacies. They have it only in hospitals. Inuyasha can't be taken in there, you know why."

"Is there no way we can help Inuyasha?" Shippo asked heartbroken.

"Well, we do have some antibiotics in my home... They are far from those real antibiotics used for sepsis, but maybe it could help..."

"You should go and get everything you have", Miroku said. "Inuyasha is in danger."

And so Kagome took her backpack, left the village, and got on her way to the Bone-eater's well.

But meanwhile, not long after Kagome had left...

Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly, blinked a few times and saw his friends sitting next to him.  
"Hey, look! Inuyasha's awake!" Shippo shouted out, making everyone turn towards the dog boy. And they all had very sad faces, even Kirara's ears were drooping.  
"Uhh... What's... goin' on...?" Inuyasha mumbled quietly, closing his eyes again and taking a deep breath, shaking.  
"You have been really, really sick for a while", Miroku said sadly.  
"H... how?" Inuyasha asked.  
"Well, first you were badly wounded in a battle. Your right arm was almost ripped in pieces. And the wound got infected. You got a high fever. Then you started coughing blood and vomiting... And then, yesterday, you passed out. You have a severe sepsis, a doctor diagnosed you, do you remember?"  
"We are so glad that you woke up", Sango said, trying to smile. "And-"  
Sango's phrase was interrupted by this;  
"I... I think I'm... gonna be sick..." Inuyasha covered his mouth with his hand and gagged.  
"Get the bowl!" Miroku shouted, and Sango was on her way right away. She grabbed a bowl, but she was too late. Inuyasha threw up on floor, lying on his side. Now the floor was covered in bloody vomit.  
"...Sorry..." Inuyasha whimpered, closed his eyes and went limp.

"Oh no..." Sango gasped. "But how can he vomit if there's nothing inside him?"

"Then he vomits blood. This could mean something really serious..." Miroku said quietly.

"Maybe... Septic shock", said Kaede, very seriously.

Miroku's and Sango's eyes widened in horror.

After these news it was pretty silent in the hut, but then they started hearing quiet sobbing. Who was it, everyone wondered.

It was Inuyasha. He had his arms wrapped around him, shaking.

"I feel so sick..." he cried quietly.

"We sure do believe you. But don't worry, Inuyasha", Miroku said calmly. "Kagome-sama just went to her time. She will be back any minute and she will have just the right medicine for you."

Kagome had just arrived at the well. She looked down, climbed over it's side and jumped down...

But nothing happened.

"What the...?" the girl wondered, climbed back up and jumped down again. No good. She repeated this four times, until she had to admit it – the well was broken!

Oh no. Oh God! What could she do now? Would she ever be able to go back to present to her family? And what about Inuyasha?!

Kagome didn't hesitate. She started running towards Kaede's village as fast as she could through the woods. She almost stumbled on tree routs and rocks, but didn't stop. So she was there in no time. She dashed into Kaede's hut...

Everyone, Inuyasha also, turned their heads at the panting girl at the doorway.

"Well, weren't you fast..." Miroku said his eyes wide. "Did you get the medicine?"

"No! The well! It's broken!" Kagome screamed.

"You mean, you can't travel through time?" Sango asked.

"That's right! I..." Kagome was about to say, but saw Inuyasha with his eyes open, looking at her. "Inuyasha! You're awake!" she shouted out and ran to him. She kneeled down beside him and stroke his left dog ear. "How are you feeling?"

"Am I... gonna die?" Inuyasha asked quietly. No-one answered. No-one wanted to.

"S-so I... I quess... I'm screwed... Am I not...?" Inuyasha mumbled and closed his eyes with two coughs.

"No, Inuyasha!" Kagome said. "You're a fighter! You can handle thi...!"

Inuyasha interrupted this phrase by pressing his head against Kagome's lap. He sobbed a few times. And oh how his forehead burned the girl's lap. Kagome took his head in her arms and gently rocked him.

"You'll be fine..." she whispered in his burning ear and kissed it tenderly.


	4. We Are Family

4 – We Are Family

Two days went by. Inuyasha was conscious, but laid in bed like a dead fish, not moving, just shivering and coughing. And he hadn't eaten for days. He had clearly started losing weight.

Everyone had decided to take turns looking after him. This meant changing the cold towels on his forehead and chest, and just make sure everthing was okay. Now it was Miroku sitting beside Inuyasha on his knees. Next to him was a wooden bucket of cold water. Miroku soaked a towel in it, twisted some water off and placed it on Inuyasha's forehead and sighed. He just stared at the boy. He couldn't believe his friend was this sick.

These people were like a family. They always stood out and cared for each other. Everyone was beloved like brothers and sisters, and Inuyasha's situation was absolutely crushing other's hearts.

Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly and looked at Miroku wearily. Miroku noticed this and turned his eyes at the boy.

"Hey, buddy..." the monk tried to smile and pet Inuyasha's chest. "How are you feeling?"

Inuyasha didn't answer, but started getting up slowly. Miroku stopped him.

"No no no, Inuyasha", he said calmly, grabbing the boy's shoulders and pressing him back down. "You can't be up now. You are really sick."

"I think I'm... gonna die.." Inuyasha whimpered. Miroku saw a tear falling down the boy's cheek. Miroku placed his hand on his shoulder and sighed again.

Next it was Sango's turn. She was now standing behind Miroku.

"Houshi-sama..." the woman said quietly, almost whispered. "How is he?"

Miroku didn't say anything, just shook his head with a hopeless face. Sango kneeled down right next to Inuyasha and started stroking his side slowly. After a while Kirara appeared to them. She came at Inuyasha's side and lied down, purring.

"See, Inuyasha?" Sango said with a fake smile. "Kirara cares about you. And we all do."

"Exactly", Kaede nodded. She was sitting by the fire, cooking. "And now, son, we're gonna make ye eat."

Inuyasha turned his burning red face stared at the old lady, blinked a few times, and took a deep breath.

"Here", said Kaede, who had just kneeled down next to Inuyasha with the cup of soup in her hand. "Miroku, gimme a hand."

And so the monk nodded, sat down behind Inuyasha and lift him up, helping him sit. But Inuyasha laid in his arms all slack, looking like he wouldn't eat.

"Eat up, son", Kaede urged. Inuyasha looked at the steaming cup in the old lady's hands, and closed his eyes.

"What's the... big deal?" Inuyasha mumbled. "I'll just barf at all up... like always."

"Inuyasha, please eat", Miroku said. "You are getting so thin I can feel your bones."

"It's delicious, believe me", Kagome praised.

Inuyasha didn't react for a while, when suddenly he opened his mouth, and Kaede started feeding him. The boy sipped the soup very slowly.

"Good... That's it, that's it..." the old lady mumbled. It took a while until the cup was empty, but finally Miroku put Inuyasha back down and covered him with a sigh.

"Great, Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted out with a huge smile. She ran to the boy, kneeled down and hugged him gently. "You could eat! You're getting better!"

A few hours had went by. Miroku and Sango had gone to spend some quality time by the river near the village. They sat side by side, with heads leaning against each other. They had been silent for a long time, only hearing the river flow and birds sing. But finally Sango broke the silence and said:

"I really wonder why Inuyasha has got this sick because of a small wound. Small for him at least."

Miroku sighed.

"Maybe the demon's claws were poisonous..." he pondered.

"But he'll be fine", Sango nodded.

"I really hope so."

The atmosphere in Kaede's hut was quite calm. Kaede had just returned from the forest, where she and Shippo had been picking berries and herbs as medicine. Now the old lady was powdering them in a cup, while Shippo was following Kagome and Inuyasha from afar.

Kagome stroke the boy's ear. But she was actually quite happy. Now she knew Inuyasha would be fine. Any day. Then everything would be fine, just like always. Except...

She couldn't go back in her time. She couldn't see her mom, brother or grandpa. What if never? All she could do was to wait and check the well every now and then. And she did, every day, but nothing helped. Now it was just a one, useless, dried up well.

Inuyasha had been lying still on Kagome's lap for a long time, but suddenly he convulsed, sat up like a lightning and gagged. Luckily he could turn away from Kagome, but not to the bucket next to him... And, sadly, threw up. All the soup was now scattered on the floor, and there was blood mixed in it.

Everyone remained silent for a while, and soon tears came to Kagome's eyes. It was no use, he was not getting better.

Kagome grabbed the wet cloth again and started cleaning the mess. She rubbed the wooden floor on her knees, sobbing a little.

"Don't worry, Inuyasha... We're not angry... Not at all, I..." and she broke to tears.

"Here, gimme", said Kaede, who was standing behind her. She laid her hand on the girl's shoulder, and Kagome gave the cloth to her.

"Maybe ye should do something ye enjoy. How about the hot spring beyond the forest? Perhaps just a walk? Or..."

"I just need to be alone for a while", Kagome said quietly. She walked out of the hut. Kaede and Shippo stared at the door for a while, and both sighed.

"...Sorry... 'bout this..." Inuyasha mumbled and started coughing.

"Don't ye dare apologize, son", Kaede said, starting to clean the vomit on the floor, without even looking at the boy. "We understand."

"All you need to worry about is that you get well", Shippo said, holding his tiny hand against Inuyasha's forehead. The hanyou blinked a few times and took a deep breath.

Sometimes it felt like time had stopped. A few days had passed. Inuyasha hadn't really got better. He threw up almost all the food he ate, but not everything, and that was maybe one thing that had got better. He laid in bed, lethargic and groggy.

Everyone was getting bored. They had never spent this long time at Kaede's village. They were always on the go, gathering Shikon shards. Kagome visited the well every day, but no good – nothing happened when she reached the bottom. She spent most of her time beside Inuyasha, but sometimes felt it was useless. Inuyasha didn't react to almost anything. His dog ears were drooping against his head, and Kagome kept massaging them. She knew Inuyasha enjoyed it, even if he didn't admit it, or, in this case, react to it.

But Shippo, also, wanted to make Inuyasha feel better. He grabbed the herbs he had picked up with Kaede earlier this day. He jumped at his side and gnetly shook the boy's shoulder. Kirara was also sitting on him.

"Hi, Inuyasha!" Shippo smiled and waved the herbs in his hand. "Quess who's going to get some herbal tea?"

Inuyasha gave a feeble grin.

"...No idea..." he faked.

"You of course!" Shippo laughed. "And it will make you better!"

Inuyasha still smiled for a while, but closed his eyes and went limp. Shippo was actually the only one who could make him smile. But Inuyasha had his limits. He just didn't have the energy to even keep his eyes open for long.

And after Shippo had left Inuyasha rest, Kagome took his place.

"Thank you, Shippo", the girl smiled. "You have no idea how important your entertainment is to him now."

Shippo grinned and nodded.

And so, Kagome sat by the dog boy. He opened his eyes and looked deep into the girl's eyes. He slowly lift his head and landed it on Kagome's lap. She seemed a bit surprised, but smiled and stroke his dog ear. And then...

"I... love... you", Inuyasha whispered. Kagome flinched.

"What? What did you say?" she asked.

"I... love you."

Kagome didn't know what to say. Okay, she had felt that way for a long time by now. But Inuyasha too? But could it be because of the fever? Well, anyway...

"I love you too", she smiled a little and gave the boy a little kiss on his forehead.

Shippo was still maybe the one most eager to make Inuyasha amused. But he was running out of ideas, when he suddenly knew it were those crayons and paper in Kaede's closet, which Kagome had given him. Now Shippo was drawing all of them – Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Kirara, Kaede, and, of course, Inuyasha.

"Ye are artistic", Kaede praised him with a smile. "Are ye drawing this to someone?"

"Yeah, this is a get-well-soon card for Inuyasha", Shippo nodded, so concentrated in drawing he didn't even look at the old lady. "This pic will remind him we are a family, and we like him very much."

It took a while until Shippo finished his drawing. And when he did, he was eager to show it to everyone.

Inuyasha was sleeping, and Kagome was sitting beside him, stroking his shoulder. Shippo poked her back and showed the drawing.

"Look, Kagome! This is for Inuyasha! I made it!"

"That's very sweet, Shippo", Kagome chuckled. "When are you going to give it to him?"

"When we are all here."

Sun was starting to set, when Miroku and Sango finally returned to Kaede's hut. Shippo ran to them instantly and showed off his drawing.

"I made this for Inuyasha!" he bragged. "And now that we are all here, we will give this to him!"

And so Shippo jumped by the hanyou's side and started shaking his shoulder as hard as he could. Slowly Inuyasha opened his eyes. All his friends were sitting around him.

"Hi, Inuyasha..." Sango said quietly. Inuyasha nodded once.

"We have something for you", Kagome winked. Shippo held the drawing behind his back.

"Quess which hand!" he smiled. But the answer they got was Inuyasha starting to cough harshly. That made everyone's faces turn sad, but after Inuyasha stopped, he gathered all his strength, sat up shaking, gave a weak smile and moaned;

"Right..."

Everyone saw Shippo was actually holding the drawing in his left hand, but he swapped it to his right hand and gave it to Inuyasha.

"You're right!" Shippo grinned. "I made it all by myself! And this is to remind you how much we like you!"

Inuyasha still smiled wearily, but started coughing again and slowly collapsed down on his back, panting.

"Thanks..." Inuyasha whispered, slowly closing his eyes again. Shippo started to look confused.

"D-don't you like it?" he asked.

"No, Shippo, it's not that", Miroku sighed. "I am sure this really made him feel better."

"Are we a family?" the little one asked. Everyone looked at each other, and nodded.

"Of course we are", Sango smiled with a wink. "Now and always."

After closing his eyes after that Inuyasha didn't open them for a long time. He slept sound, Kirara by him. Kagome sat next to them, stroking Inuyasha's hair. The boy seemed to go just worse. He looked so grossly emaciated it broke her heart. And she could tell his fever had gone just worse, even without the thermometer.

"Now we must feed him", Kaede announced while stirring porridge in the pot.

"But why? He can't eat", Kagome said with a sad voice.

"We have to try. And I have this idea", Kaede said while pouring the porridge in cups, one for everyone. "If he can keep the food down, we'll just carry on taking care of him here. And if not, we'll take him to the hospital of Haruko."

"Hospital of Haruko?" Sango wondered. "Never heard of that."

"I have", Miroku nodded. "But it's even further away from where the doctor came."

"Yes. By walk, it will take about two days to get there", Kaede sighed.

"But what if me and Kirara take Inuyasha there", Sango suggested. "Houshi-sama can run pretty fast, and Kagome has that pink... thing she rides."

"It's called bike", Kagome corrected, but nodded. "I guess it sounds like a good plan."

"But first ye, son, have to eat", Kaede urged and kneeled by the boy. And like always in these feeding situations, Miroku held him up from behind his back. But this time things went even worse than usually...

Because just after two first sips, Inuyasha threw up. Inuyasha hacked while Miroku pat his back. The monk gave a bit disgusted face.

"So I quess...?" he sighed.

"That's it. We're leaving towards Haruko right now."


	5. The Hospital

5 – The Hospital

After Inuyasha had vomited, everyone had started to get ready to get on their way to the Haruko hospital. Now Kirara was standing outside Kaede's hut in her big form. Miroku carried Inuyasha on his back to Kirara, and he and Sango put him up on her back. Inuyasha was lying limp against the huge cat youkai's neck, while Sango sat behind him, ready to go.

Kagome had packed her backpack with some food and her first-aid kit. She took her bike and walked next to Kirara.

"If you leave now, how soon will you be there?" Kagome asked.

"In about one day", Kaede answered. "By walk it will take twice as long, but Inuyasha will be in good hands, with also Sango and Kirara by him."

"Alright. Let's go!" Miroku announced. And so he started running the road as fast as he could, with Kagome on her pink bike by him, Shippo sitting in it's basket. As for Sango and Inuyasha, they had just got high up on top of trees, Kirara running in the air with her burning paws.

Inuyasha had been coughing a lot. They had left the village at sunset, and now it had started to get dark. But the fire in Kirara's paws lit the way.

"Are we... there yet?" Inuyasha mumbled and coughed once.

"No. Don't worry, we will be there in time", Sango said. "Now just relax. Try to get some sleep."

As the night came, Kagome, Miroku and Shippo had to find a good place in the forest to spend the night. Miroku was absolutely exhausted from running, and, of course, Kagome was too. She Had just drove her bike for hours, after all.

"I wonder how Inuyasha and Sango are doing?" Kagome wondered.

"They will be there by tomorrow", Miroku said calmly. "We are in more trouble than them."

And that was true. Kirara didn't get worn out that easily. She was still flying across the sky with Inuyasha and Sango on her back. They both slept, Sango lying against the boy's back. Even if they were awake, they wouldn't really mind this; they were good friends after all.

The rays of morning sun started to light the sky. And it didn't took long before Sango woke up. She yawned and stretched a little. She looked first down and saw nothing but tree tops, but when she looked back, she could see the Mountain of the Sun – they were beyond it! That means they were close to the hospital! Sango smiled and pet Kirara's lap.

"Good girl Kirara!"

And in less than an hour Sango finally saw it – the hospital of Haruko. It was a huge, fine, feudal Japanese building, with a beautiful yard. Sango shook Inuyasha's shoulder gently.

"Inuyasha, wake up", she said while petting Kirara's lap again. "Kirara, get down."

Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes. He looked down and saw the hospital.

"Is tha'...?"

"Yes. We made it just in time!" Sango nodded while they started to land slowly.

Now they had landed at the main door of the hospital.

"Wait here", Sango told Kirara and Inuyasha. The boy just closed his eyes.

Sango knocked the door and waited for a while. But no-one came to open it. Sango knocked again, but no good. Finally she sighed and opened the door by herself.

"Hello?" she called. "Hello? We need a doc-"

"Oh, sorry you had to wait", said a quite young woman nurse, who just came to Sango. "You have a patient?"

"I sure do. We need someone to carry him in – he's in really bad shape, can't walk."

"Right. I'll get a man here to carry him. Just a minute." And so she turned around and disappeared behind the corner.

It didn't take long before that same woman returned with a male nurse.

"So, where is he?" he asked.

Sango led the nurses outside, where Kirara was standing with Inuyasha on her back.

"He sure looks sick", the female nurse nodded. And as the man took the boy on his back, Kirara transformed back into her little form. Sango took her in her arms, starting to stroke her. The cat was exhausted.

"Follow us", the female nurse said, and so the group started walking the endless corridors of the hospital. Finally they stopped at one door, number 32. The female nurse slid it open. It was a pretty small but cozy room. One of the walls was actually a wardrobe. The female nurse took a mattress and a blanket out and put them on the floor. And so the male nurse put Inuyasha down on it and covered him.

"Make yourselves at home", the female nurse said. "We will get a doctor here as fast as possible."

"Thank you", Sango smiled with a small bow. And as the room's door was shut, she sat down by Inuyasha and sighed. Kirara leaned against his side and started purring. Sango stroke the cat with a little smile.

It had been a while since they had arrived in here. But no doctor to be seen. Sango was getting tired of this. But suddenly Inuyasha opened his eyes and looked at Sango. The woman just smiled a bit sad.

"Hi there, Inuyasha..."

"Who... are you?" Inuyasha asked feebly. Sango's eyes widened.

"Who, me? I... I am Sango", she said. "I'm your friend."

"Oh... Right..."

And finally the moment came. Sango could hear a knock on the door, and so a man came in.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Takuya, one of the leading doctors of this hospital", he introduced himself. "So, I was told by the two nurses you saw earlier this day that this boy is no normal boy..."

"Yes. He's a hanyou", Sango nodded.

"I have never treated a hanyou before. Never even seen a one. But I think I can help you out." And so he sat by Inuyasha and held his hand on his forehead.

"This is bad..." he said. "Cold compresses hadn't helped?"

"Not really. Actually, nothing has helped. We had a doctor visit us back at our village beyond the mountain."

"May I ask who was he?"

"Doctor Arayo."

"I know him. He has worked here a few years back. He really knows what he's doing. What was his diagnosis?"

Sango's face turned sad.

"He said... severe sepsis..."

"That would be very possible. Tell me more about his symptoms."

"Well... Horrible coughing, fever, panting, pain, being lethargic... and maybe the worst, vomiting everything he eats. He's lost so much weight..."

The doctor felt Inuyasha's chest, stomach and pelvis.

"There's nothing but bones in here", he sighed. "I am really sorry to say this, but this boy is in grave danger."

Sango's eyes widened. "I-is there nothing you can do?"

"Oh yes there is. We have some very rare, effective herbs and plants, for fever and vomiting, but not actual sepsis. But yes, there is hope."

"So... what are you going to do now?" Sango asked.

"We will get a bucket of water with some clothes for cold compresses, and another bucket if he vomits. And we will make some medicine for him. We'll bring it to you right when we get it ready."

"Thank you", Sango bowed. And so the doctor left, leaving Inuyasha, Sango and Kirara in the room. Sango laid her hand on Inuyasha's chest.

"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly.

"...You know... I..." Inuyasha mumbled, and quickly turned on his other side from Sango... And, no surprise, threw up blood. Sango and Kirara both startled, and as Inuyasha coughed, Sango stroke his side for a few seconds.

"Wait a sec, Inuyasha", she said, got up and walked to the door. She peeked out and called:

"We need a nurse!"

It didn't take long before a female nurse ran to Sango.

"Is it something bad?" she asked as Sango let her in. "Oh dear... We must get a charlady. Just a second."

And so Sango sighed and knelt back down by Inuyasha.

"You are going to make it. Believe me", she said quietly, almost whispering.

Soon two women walked in. The one was the charlady, and the other was that same nurse who had just been here. She was carrying one bucket with cold water and the clothes, and in her other hand, the empty bucket. She put them both down next to Inuyasha and before Sango.

"Do you want a nurse here to change the compresses or...?"

"I can do it", Sango said. "Wouldn't be the first time."

And so Sango soaked two clothes in the water, twisted them and put them on Inuyasha's forehead and chest. As Inuyasha coughed, Sango looked at his bandaged arm. It was still bleeding, as it was still getting red again and again every time after being re-bandaged. And just that moment...

"Knock knock", said a woman's voice from behind the door. She came in, with a first-aid kit and a tray with two, steaming cups.

"So, here we have some medicine", she announced as she sat down by Inuyasha and Sango.

"But before that...", she said and opened the kit. "...I will clean and re-bandage the arm."

Again, taking, or more like peeling off the dried bandage was painful, making Inuyasha whimper quietly. But the wound couldn't be cleaned as good as in Kagome's hands, because these people could use only water for cleansing, no disinfection fluids to be seen. After the arm was bandaged, the nurse took one of the cups and said;

"Please hold him up."

Sango nodded, crawled behind Inuyasha and helped him sit up.

"Okay now, Inuyasha. Take little, slow sips", the nurse said as she was giving him the first sip. Inuyasha obeyed her, and it took a while before the cup was empty.

"That's good. And now, the anot-"

But Inuyasha just gathered all his strength to turn at the bucket, throwing up in it.

Both women went quiet. Both Sango and the nurse sighed.

"Well, okay then... we'll try again before bedtime. I'll be here by then."

Sango nodded and laid Inuyasha back down on his mattress.

"...So... we are in hospital... but... am I really... that sick...?" the boy moaned slowly.

"You sure are..." Sango nodded quietly and laid down her hand on his shoulder.

It felt like the bedtime came in no time. Inuyasha was sleeping, Sango just sat by him, doing her job with cold compresses every now and then. She, too, was getting tired. She yawned, when suddenly a nurse came in. She had a steaming cup with her.

"Now, let's try the medicine again."

Sango nodded.

"Wake up, Inuyasha", she said, shaking the boy's shoulder. As Inuyasha opened his eyes, Sango helped Inuyasha sit up. The nurse started feeding the boy. Sip by sip, but, just as everyone had got ready for, Inuyasha threw up – but, for misfortune, on the nurse.

It felt like the time stopped. No-one moved, Inuyasha just coughed. The nurse wiped her face with her hand.

"... Sorry... 'bout tha'..." Inuyasha moaned.

"It's okay, don't worry", the nurse said, but looked clearly a bit piqued and disgusted. "I'll call another nurse here. I must get cleaned up."

Sango just nodded, quiet. She laid the coughing Inuyasha on the mattress on his back and sighed:

"Inuyasha, Inuyasha... What are we going to do with you?"

It took only minutes when an another nurse came in.

"I'm verry sorry to hear what just happened. But unlike him, you must be hungry", she told Sango. "If you want, you can go to the dining room for some miso-soup for supper."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know if I have enough money..."

"Don't you worry about that. We can give you some discount."

"But I have no idea where the dining room is."

"Nurse Minako", the nurse said, pointing out at a woman standing in the doorway, "she will lead you there."

"Thank you."

And so Sango left, leaving Inuyasha and Kirara in the nurses hands. Kirara gave Inuyasha small kisses on his nose and cheeks, which made Inuyasha smile weakly.

"You are one really sick boy..." the nurse sighed. "I can't say dont worry, but try to depend on us. We will do everything we can to make you better."

The hospital was huge. Something Sango had never seen before. She followed Minako the nurse, quietly. No-one said a word. Finally the nurse turned her head over her shoulder towards Sango and asked:

"Are you somehow related to that dog boy?"

"Not biologically", Sango answered. "But we are very close friends. We are waiting for three more of our 'family' to arrive by tomorrow."

"I heard you came from afar. How on earth could you get him here? He can't walk, and there's no way you could carry him on your back..."

"Well, you see, the small, yellow cat we have with us is actually a youkai, and she can turn huge enough for her to carry both of us through the air."

"...You are absolutely the most astounding group we have ever seen here."

Miroku, Kagome and Shippo were on their way. They had just got over The Mountain of the Sun, so they were certain they'd be in the hospital next noon.

"We must stop for night soon", Miroku said while running next Kagome on her bike. "Inuyasha and Sango will be alright."

And so, the trio found a safe place in the woods to spend the night. Kagome had a sleeping bag in her backpack, but she was very embarrassed to sleep in – because Miroku had to sleep sitting up towards a tree, just like Inuyasha usually did.

"I'm really sorry about this, Miroku... Would you be more comfortable if I didn't sleep in this?" Kagome asked before taking the sleeping bag out of her backpack.

"Nonsense, Kagome-sama", Miroku shook his head. "Of course you sleep in that, this wouldn't be my first night sleeping like this."

"Well, okay then..." Kagome nodded and laid the bag on ground. She curled up in it as Shippo joined her on her side.

Sango had just finished her miso-soup. The atmosphere in the dining room was very cheerful. Sango sat in the same table with a group of young female nurses, remaining silent while the nurses were joking and laughing.

Finally Sango returned her cup to the kitchen lady, and started digging up her money bag from her breast pocket. She sighed.

"I'm sorry... but I have very little money, I..."

"Don't worry", the lady said. "450 yen(about 4 usd) will be enough."

"What? So little?" Sango said her eyes wide, but paid with a thankful smile.

And so she returned to Inuyasha's room, escorted by a nurse. She opened the door for Sango and let her in. The same nurse was sitting by Inuyasha's side, as did Kirara.

"Enjoyed your supper?" she asked.

"Yes. Very delicious", Sango nodded. "And Very cheap."

The nurse smiled.

"Would you like to take it from here or will I get another nurse to look after this young man for night? My shift is ending."

"I would like a nurse here", Sango said. "I'm really tired. I have to get some sleep."

"Alright. I'll send a nurse here. It can take a little while, but don't worry, she will come."

Sango bowed a little as the nurse left and closed the door. Then she kneeled down next to Inuyasha. The boy was panting, and Sango thought he was asleep. But when she laid her hand on his chest, he opened his eyes slowly and looked at her. They kept staring at each-other.

"Hey, Inuyasha..." Sango said quietly. "Well, do you now remember who I am?"

"Of course... Sango", Inuyahsa moaned. "... Have I... said... something different?" and he started coughing.

"Oh yes. Yes you have."

Sango had to take care of Inuyasha for a while before the 'night-nurse' came. She had just changed the cold compresses on his forehead and chest, when the nurse came.

"Good evening", she said. Both she and Sango bowed. "There are more mattresses and blankets in the closet."

And so Sango made herself a bed on the floor. But this time Kirara didn't join her. She was sleeping by Inuyasha. This only made Sango smile.

"Good night", the nurse smiled, and Sango nodded, lying down and closing her eyes.

Okay, now note it can take some time for the next chapter to be published, since I have written it just less than two pages. BUT, maybe a review would give me some inspiration ;)


	6. I Know What You'd Say

6 – I Know What You'd Say

Morning came. Sango had slept better than ever. She was slowly opening her eyes. She sat up and looked at Inuyasha. The nurse beside him wasn't the same who came here yesterday at bedtime.

"Oh, good morning!" she greeted as Sango was brushing her hair.

"He was sleeping well, wasn't he?" Sango smiled. As she hadn't woken up even once, that mean't he hadn't been coughing. But she was wrong.

"No. He did fall asleep every now and then, but woke up many times, coughing."

"Well, is he-"

Sango was interrupted by Inuyasha coughing. The nurse sighed.

"We will bring you both some breakfast, and medicine for him. The doctor will also visit you and check on Inuyasha. We must try to do all we can, never give up, unless..."

"What do you think, seriously...?" Sango said with a little scared voice. "Will he make it...?"

"As I said, we must never give up, but as I must be honest... It could be he won't."

Sango turned at the panting boy and felt small tears coming to her eyes. But she wiped them away quickly and sighed.

She knew Miroku, Kagome and Shippo would be here any minute, but not this soon...

Miroku, Shippo and Kagome had just ran out of the pathway through the woods, and now they were there – standing in front of the huge building, Haruko hospital. Kagome parked her bike against one tree close to the main door, and walked behind Miroku, who had just knocked the door. And just like with Sango, it took a while before someone opened the door. Now, it was a young nurse.

"Hello", Miroku greeted. "We are looking for our friends, named Inuyasha and Sango."

"Oh, you mean that dog boy and the young lady?" she answered. "Come, I'll lead you to their room."

There were countless of patient rooms, and finally they stopped before one with the number 32. And there was one more thing that told them this was Inuyasha's room – they could hear him coughing from inside.

The nurse slid the door open, revealing Inuyasha lying on his mattress, with the doctor by his side and Sango, sitting a bit further from them. Her eyes lit up when she saw her friends arrive.

"Houshi-sama!" she called out, got up and ran to the man, hugging him. "You have no idea how much I have missed you all!"

At first Miroku stood still with his eyes wide, but soon tightened the hug with a smile. But Kagome wasn't smiling. She was standing next to the doctor sitting on floor.

"Is he getting better?" the girl asked. The doctor shook his head slowly.

"We have done everything we could, but nothing seems to help. Of course, we will try taking care of him as long as he still lives."

"You make it sound like there is no hope", Kagome said with an angry tone in her voice. "You have no idea how severe injuries he has beaten! I repeat; You Have NO IDEA! This won't kill him!"

"Calm down, miss, calm down," the doctor said calmly, not getting startled of the raging girl at all. "I really hope you are right. But this is getting really serious now. It's no longer severe sepsis. We are talking about septic shock. And as you might know, there is no known cure for it."

"You are wrong!" Kagome shouted so loud Shippo's and Kirara's tails jumped up. "You are SO WRONG!" the girl repeated, ran to the door, slid it open and ran away. The people in the room just stared after her, and could hear silent crying for a while, which faded away.

"I'll carry on checking him later today", the doctor sighed and carried on.

Finally the doctor was about to leave.

"So, how is he?" Miroku asked.

"I would say his worst problem is not the fever", he answered. "I'ts more like the uncontrollable vomiting. He is getting dangerously malnourished and dehydrated. We must try to feed him many times a day, even though it's pretty obvious he will just vomit it all."

"Yes, we have to try", Miroku nodded.

Kagome was nowhere to be seen. Miroku and Sango had really been missing each other, and were now sitting side by side on the other side of the room, while Shippo kept some company to the dog-boy, who laid on his side. He was sitting just a few centimetres away from his face.

"Ya will get better, Inuyasha..." he said with a sad voice. Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes, and they stared at each other. Inuyasha smiled for two seconds, and closed his eyes again.

As for Miroku and Sango...

"How did you manage in here with just Inuyasha and Kirara?" Miroku asked.

"It was hard... He had his bad moments... Once he asked who I am, once he threw up on a nurse..."

"Now you don't need to be alone anymore", Miroku smiled and laid his arm on the woman's shoulder.

For a long while, the only sound in the room 32 was coughing. Miroku and Sango sat side by side, their arms on each other's shoulders, not reacting to it, and sat without a sound, like they didn't even hear anything. But, of course, every now and then either of them had to get up and change the cold compresses on Inuyasha. Shippo was too small to do it, but he had his other tasks to help the youngster feel better. Now the kitsune laid on Inuyasha's fastly rising and setting chest on his stomach. But Shippo wasn't asleep, he could hear the dog boy's raspy breath and heart pounding. The little one whimpered and sat up.

"Inuyasha... Why are you so sick?"

Even though Shippo thought he wouldn't get an answer, Inuyasha opened his eyes and said quietly:

"...Don'... ask me why... I... dunno..." And he started coughing. He covered his mouth with his hand, as he was coughing up blood. When he stopped, he lift his bloody hand up, looked at it for a while, and suddenly slapped it on his face. Now there was a bloody handprint on his nose, eyes and cheeks.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo shouted. This made Miroku and Sango "wake up". They both crawled to Inuyasha and Shippo. Sango sighed a bit sad, but Miroku sure wasn't just sad.

"Why on earth did you do that? There's just enough trouble already, now even your face has to be cleaned!" He sounded a little angry. Inuyasha looked at the monk with a vacant stare and coughed a few times.

"I... don' care..." Inuyasha mumbled.

"But we all do", Sango said and placed her hand on the boy's ankle.

"And not only us, but every nurse and doctor in this building are working non-stop to help you. Show some respect, Inuyasha", Miroku nodded.

"Well but isn't that nice to hear you appreciate our work", said a nurse who just came in from the door. She was smiling at first, but after seeing the bloody hand print on Inuyasha's face, she sighed.

"Oh... I guess I have to get some water and towels", she said and turned away from the room.

Nobody said a thing for a while. It was all quiet, even Inuyasha hadn't coughed. Untill finally it started again. And again he covered his mouth with his hand. When he stopped coughing, Miroku said quickly;

"Don't you dare slap your face again."

"The nurse should be coming already..." Sango pondered. "The blood on Inuyasha's face is drying..."

Knock knock!

Everyone's eyes turned at the door. Yes! Finally the nurse came-! But it wasn't the nurse. It was Kagome. First she looked a bit angry.

"Well, Kagome-sama..." Miroku said, quiet. "Feeling a bit calmer are we?"

"Maybe", Kagome snorted, but after turning towards Inuyasha and saw the bloody handprint on his face, she flinched. "W-what has happened in here?"

"Don't ask us", Sango sighed. "Inuyasha just... slapped his bloody hand on his face.

Nobody said anything for a while, when finally Kagome fell on her knees by Inuyasha.

"Sorry that I got angry... And shouted", the girl apologized. "I wans't angry to you, Inuyasha."

"I... know that. I'm not... an idiot..." Inuyasha mumbled with a vacant expression, and closed his eyes.

Inuyasha fell asleep very quickly, with Kagome strokin his side and Kirara purring beside him. Then...

Knock knock, again!

This time it was a nurse.

"So, you are the group the whole hospital is talking about!" she smiled. She stepped in had a look aroung. Finally she said: "I think we should let Inuyasha sleep. Would you like to join us for lunch?"

Everyone looked at each other, and smiled with a nod.

"Kirara will stay here with Inuyasha", Sango said. "How about a nurse?"

"I don't think constant supervision is necessary for now that he's asleep", the nurse said. "But we will check on him, changing the cold compresses every now and then, so you can take your time eating."

Everyone nodded with a smile, Shippo sitting in Kagome's arms. And so they all walked out of the room and slid the door shut quiet, not to wake up Inuyasha, and Kirara behind.

After a while Inuyasha started hissing in pain. Kirara's ears jumped up, and so did she, on Inuyasha's stomach, purring. She put her tiny paw on Inuyasha's hand and and mewed.

"Heh... Hang... it there, eh? That's whatcha'... would say if... ya could?" Inuyasha grinned feebly. But suddenly he convulsed, turned on his side and threw up. Big time. Bigger than ever. The floor, his pillow, mattress, cheeks and arms were covered in blood, and he was just coughing up more and more. Small creeks of blood fell down from his mouth. He lift his bandaged arm up and reached to the bucket of water next to him.

Kirara, who had hopped behind the bucket, mewed.

"Again I... know whatcha' tryin'... to tell me..." Inuyasha moaned. "Maybe 'what tha... fuck am I... doin?' That's wha'... you'd say."

Kirara mewed again, jumped off the bucket and landed right by Inuyasha's face, starting to lick one if the countless stains of blood on the boy's cheek. He smiled for a while.

"And to... answer your question... I have to... wash the blood away... before the... others come and... freak out", the boy said quietly and started slowly rubbing the floor with one soaked cloth. But it didn't take even many seconds before started coughing again, and just couldn't carry on. He crashed on the mattress, panting.

"Oh God..." he panted harder and harder. He started feeling worse than ever.

"And how are we doin' he..." said a nurse who just walked in from the door, she almost dropped the tray of cups of food she was carrying when she saw all the blood scattered everywhere.

Inuyasha opened his eyes and turned towards the nurse.

"Oh no, oh no..." the nurse bemoaned while backing off and putting down the tray. "You... you... you wait here. I'm getting the doctor right now!"

Inuyasha closed his eyes and waited. He was ready to wait for a while, but in just a few minutes a crowd of people ran in.

"He-hello, Inuyasha", said a man, who just kneeled down by him. He had ran so fast he was panting almost as hard as Inuyasha. "I'm the doctor, remember?"

The hanyou didn't answer, but looked around. The doctor understood this.

"Here we have a few nurses to help me help you. Now the nurses will wash you. Not just face and arms and the wound, but from everywhere."

"You don't need to feel embarrassed to have us clean you, we are educated to that and have done it hundreds of times both gender", a female nurse said.

Inuyasha didn't give a shit.

"I will come see you after you get cleaned up", the doctor said and walked out of the room.

One of the nurses who had arrived to the room was a man, so he took the bony boy on his back, and so he followed three nurses to one other room, which said 'Bathroom'.

Behind that door there was a big mattress, and Inuyasha was laid on it. And, as he was told, his hakamas were taken off. There were four female nurses, one washing and bandaging the wounded arm, one washed his hair, and the two remaining two took care of his chest, back and rest of the body.

"Are you feeling uneasy?" one nurse asked. But Inuyasha was not blushed or showing any other signs of embarrassment at all. Inuyasha slowly shook his head, staring at the ceiling with his eyes half closed.

Again, it Might get a little while for the next chapter to arrive. Why no comments? :'(

Then there is one question about the story endig - will Inuyasha make it or will he die. Please tell me your opinion.

Ja mitä teihin suomalaisiin lukijoihin tulee, pistäkää vain viestiä jos haluatte että käännän tarinan suomeksi.


	7. The Curse Weed

7 – The Curse Weed

Otherwise washing Inuyasha wouldn't have taken very long, but his long hair took almost half an hour. Now the nurses were putting his pants on him again, and one still dried his hair with a towel. And so they summoned a male nurse to carry Inuyasha back to his room. The trip was long, but everything seemed to go fine, they were almost there, until...

"Did you enjo-" one nurse was about to say, but then something they hadn't been prepared for happened: Inuyasha started vomiting blood again. The blood squirted on the man nurse's back, and so they all started running towards the room 32. And as they ran, they left a trail of blood after them.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God..." one nurse panted while running. Suddenly Dr. Takuya appeared from behind corner. He raised his hand a greeting and smiled, but after seeing the trail of blood behind the group his eyes widened.

"Take him to his room instantly!" he shouted.

And so they got to the room pretty fast, and inside there were two charladies, rubbing the floor of vomit. But when they saw the nurse-group with the bloody patient, they both flinched.

"B-but didn't you just clean him?" the other charlady asked.

"We did", one nurse sighed. "But it's no good, he just won't stop throwing up..."

"Oh man it was delicious!" Kagome smiled while she and her friends sat around one low, Japanese styled table. "How much money do we have?" she asked. Miroku was just to about to reach for his money pouch, but Sango stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

"I'll pay. It's really cheap in here. Just wait a minute, get ready to return to Inuyasha."

It didn't take long for Sango to pay for their dinner. Again, one nurse was nominated to escort them to Inuyasha's room. They followed the woman, but suddenly Miroku almost slipped... but on what?

"Blood..." Sango mumbled. The trail led behind one corner...

"Please don't tell me..." Kagome said with her hand before her mouth. "Come!"

As they all followed the blood trail, they started hearing coughing. Louder, louder, louder... when they finally reached the door where the trail led to. Kagome slid it open with a bang so loud everybody in the room flinched.

She saw the two charladies still rubbing the floor, but she could tell there had been blood, and not just a little. The mattress and pillow were soaked in

blood... and so was Inuyasha's face and hair

"What is going on in here?!" Kagome screamed as two of the nurses were placing a new, clean mattress on the floor.

"Well, we..." one nurse tried to explain, but Kagome pushed her out of her way and knelt down by Inuyasha.

"Oh Inuyasha, oh no, no..." she stammered while touching his chest forehead, stomach and ears. "Inuyasha, can you hear me?"

Inuyasha opened his eyes, and so they looked at each other for a while.

"Inuyasha?"

The boy turned on his side, slowly reached to Kagome's hand and grabbed her wrist, squeezing it very feebly.

"Inuyasha...?" she repeated. "Are you feeling any better?" Like she didn't know the answer. Well, she actually didn't, as the answer she got was something she would have last expected...

"Help me..." Inuyasha whimpered. As Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo sat around him their eyes wide, they all heard him sob. They all looked at him.

"Please help me..." Inuyasha repeated, and left a few tears fall down his cheek. Everyone's faces turned very sad. They had never, Ever seen him cry.

Kagome took the boy's head in her arms and rocked him slowly. Just like him, she was about to cry, too.

"You will make it... We will all help you... And everything will be fine", Kagome whispered in his ear. Inuyasha opened his eyes and looked at Kagome...

"Sorry, Kag...but I gotta-!" Inuyasha convulsed and threw up some blood on the poor girl. Not much, but enough to make Kagome put Inuyasha down on the mattress.

First everyone sat quiet, until...

"Blargh!" Kagome shook the vomit out of her clothes.

"Really, sorreh..."

"No no no no no, I'm not angry, just disgusted." Then she turned at one of the nurses and asked: "Erm... would you have some kimonos about my size?".

"Of course. Follow me" one nurse smiled and led the teen girl out of the room. Kagome got red hakamas an a white haori, just like Kikiyo's clothes.

When Kagome returned returned to room 32, there were a pack of nurses, Dr. Takuya, and of course, her friends everyone sitting around Inuyasha. They all turned their eyes at her, then turned back the boy. Only Shippo kept staring at Kagome.

"Wh-what is going on...?" Kagome stammered. That's when Sango sighed and shook her head. Dr. Takuya lift his hand off the boy's forehead and sighed.

"Tell me What Is Going On!" Kagome shouted as she knelt by Inuyasha.

"We have done everything we can, but I am very to tell he will most likely not mak-"

"You can't be serious!" Kagome shouted. "There must be something-!"

"Please let me finish", the doctor pleaded. "There is one more way. It is something we have tried only twice during the whole history of this hospital."

Inuyasha's friends were listening.

"It's called the Curse Weed", the doctor said. "It is a very strong and rare herb, which can cure any disease pretty fast, in less than a week. But there is-"

"Then why haven't you tried it before? Why haven't you told us there is this way?" Sango asked eyes wide.

"Because there are two ways the herb can affect. As I said, it can cure any disease... but it can also kill the patient. The two times we used the herb on a patient we got two different results – the first got well within four days, the other died in a few days."

Everyone went quiet.

"Well, we can't make you take it", Miroku told Inuyasha. "It's your decision, Inuyasha. Do you want to take the medicine or not?"

"Urgh..." Inuyasha moaned. "Sure. I am... dying anyway..."

"But how can you know did the patient who died died of the disease and not the weed?" Kagome asked.

Because there are some bad side effects, which show this is because of the weed", the doctor said. "It causes pain and rash, but of course, they will go away as the disease does."

"Well then... Lets... do it", Inuyasha said quietly.

"All right. We will prepare the medicine and bring it to you. As soon as possible."

So the doctor, nurses and charladies left, leaving Inuyasha and his friends behind. Everyone sat on floor around Inuyasha, silent. They were all very nervous – now this was about life and death.

"Are ya really sure about this?" Shippo asked Inuyasha. "Ya know you can go to heaven in a few days?"

"I don't care... As I said... I would... die anyway."

"You are not going anywhere", Kagome said and stroke the hanyou's bangs. "Everything will be fine. We'll be out of here and back at Kaede's village in a week, and we will get back hunting Shikon shards."

"Wanna bet?" Inuyasha moaned.

"You make it sound like this is a joke", Kagome said a bit grumpy and sighed. She reached for the water bucket and changed the cold compresses on his forehead and chest.

"You have no idea how worried we are about you", Sango said.

"Yea. We can't even think how things would be if we lost you", Shippo nodded and pet Inuyasha's shoulder.

"That's nice..." Inuyasha said with a few coughs. "But if you... only knew how I feel... you'd like to die too."

"And if You just knew how We are feeling, you would be devastated", Kagome said firmly. "And if you really won't make it, I..." and tears came into her eyes. She reached and the boy and hugged him gently.

It didn't take very long until they all heard a knock on the door. A nurse came in with a steaming cup of medicine.

"Here we go, the Curse Weed", she said and kneeled down by Inuyasha. "Could you help a bit and hold him up?"

"Of course", Miroku nodded and lift Inuyasha up from his shoulders.

"Okay now, the only question is will he vomit this also or not", the nurse told. "But let's try."

She slowly started pouring the liquid in Inuyasha's mouth. He drank it slowly. When the cup was empty, the nurse smiled and nodded.

"That's good", she said. "I will stay here for a while to see if he vomits. If not, I'll leave you here and tell the good news to Dr. Takuya."

Everyone nodded.

It would have been all quiet in the room 32, but Inuyasha's coughing broke the silence – but at least by now, no vomiting. So the nurse had been gone for a while already. Everyone felt better now that the medicine stayed withing him.

Kirara slept by Inuyasha's side while Sango and Kagome were making beds on the floor by taking futons and blankets from the room's closet. It was getting late, so Miroku lit a candle to light up the room.

"Inuyasha", Kagome said quietly. "Tomorrow will be a better day. I know it."

The dog boy looked at the girl and nodded slowly.


	8. The Side Effects

Okay now, we are going towards the ending of this story. 1-3 more chapters to go. Thank you all the readers on the evening when I published my last chapter (138 views in one day ^^). I don't know how long will it take to get the next chapter here done. But I will publish as soon as I can.

8 – The Side Effects

Morning came. Everyone started getting up – but slowly. Because now there wasn't anything to keep them awake. Inuyasha wasn't coughing! He was sleeping sound on his side, with Kirara by him.

"I wonder if the Curse Weed is already starting to take effect?" Kagome pondered quietly, trying not to wake up the dog boy.

"Maybe", Miroku nodded. "I guess the doctor will know better."

And so Kagome and Sango put the futons and blankets back to the wardrobe. Then everyone sat down on the floor with their backs towards Inuyasha, just to wait for the doctor to come. But suddenly... they started hearing a strange sound. They all turned around...

Inuyasha was scratching his chest and left arm. Hard. Like no tomorrow. There were already some small, bleeding scars here and there, and his skin had started to look as red as his feverish face.

"Inuyasha! Stop it right now!" Kagome shouted and crawled to him. "If you carry on doing that, you will get just more bandages all around your body!"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha barked, still scratching his left wrist. "You have no idea... how much it itches...!" And coughed a few times – but not as harsh as yesterday.

Anyway, Inuyasha was like he hadn't even heard what Kagome had just said. He had started scratching his dog ears with his foot. His right ear had got red from blood. Miroku was getting really sick of this. And so he walked to Inuyasha who laid on his mattress. He was lying on his back, now scratching his cheek. But Miroku suddenly grabbed the boy's wrist.

"Stop it right there", he said with a serious tone. "You do know you've got blood poisoning? You are very vulnerable to any more infections – which you will get if those new scars you'll get by scratching."

"Well well, isn't it nice to know there is someone in this room who really knows what to do in this situation", a smiling nurse who just came in said. When she saw the grumpy looking Inuyasha and the red scratches on his cheek, arm and chest...

"I see..." the nurse nodded. "This means the Curse Weed is actually taking effect. In a bad way too. Now he's got the rash."

"Is there no way to relieve it?" Kagome asked.

"Sure. One herbal lotion. Just a minute, I will bring it to you right away."

The wait was agonizing for Inuyasha. It was so goddamn hard to keep himself from scratching. He just tossed and turned on his bed, curled up and back. And finally...

"Okay now, here you go", a nurse who just came in said and gave Kagome a cup which had some white lotion in it.

"Just apply this on his skin and massage gently. It should ease the rash pretty fast, but it has to be applied again, thrice a day, as it doesn't effect very long."

Everyone in the room nodded. As the nurse left, Inuyasha sat up slowly. Kagome started massaging the lotion on his chest and arms. Inuyasha hissed a bit.

"What?" Kagome asked her eyes wide.

"It burns..."

"That means it does affect somehow", Kagome smiled a bit.

Maybe it did burn, but after the lotion had been applied, Kagome asked;

"Okay now. Is it starting to help?"

Inuyasha nodded and slowly got back to bed, slowly lying down on his back.

"Please try to get some sleep", Kagome said. "You'll feel a lot better after you wake up."

Inuyasha nodded once, took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

It didn't take long before Inuyasha had fallen asleep. Now all they could do was to sit and wait for the doctor to come.

"I hope the doctor will come as soon as possible..." Miroku sighed.

"I'm hungry", Shippo said and pet his little tummy.

"What do you think, could we go to the dining room after we get a nurse here?" Miroku suggested.

"Sounds good", Sango nodded with a smile. Then she turned at Inuyasha, seeing he was waking up as he was moving a bit... or more like shivering.

"Hey, Inuyasha..." Sango said, reached her hand towards his shoulder... But.

Inuyasha's eyes shot open and he convulsed as fast as a lightning.

"Oh my GOD!" he shouted out and bared his teeth, hissing from pain. He wrapped his arms around him and let his claws rip his shoulders.

"W-what is it, Inu-!" Miroku shouted. Inuyasha gathered all his strength and reached towards the water bucket by his bed... He grabbed it, lift it above his head and poured all the cold water on him. Inuyasha growled and whimpered.

"Inuyasha, what is wrong?" Kagome asked in panic.

"I'm on fire! I'm on f*cking goddamn fire!" Inuyasha screamed in pain. He started biting his left wrist and scratching his cheek from his eye to his chin. Kagome got up straight away, ran to the door and shouted out:

"We need a doctor!"

Well, it wasn't a doctor that had heard the cry for help, but two female nurses, who ran to Kagome.

"What is going on?" the younger nurse asked.

"Come and see!" Kagome opened the room's door and let the nurses in.

"Oh no..." the nurse sighed. "Am I right that this young man is the "Curse Weed -boy?"

"I-I guess you can call him that..." Kagome said quite quietly and raised her shoulders. "Okay now, he was sleeping sound just a while ago, then just... got up, screaming in pain, and started to scratch and bite himself."

"Let me see..." the elder nurse said and kneeled down beside Inuyasha. The boy hissed in pain and licked his left, slowly bleeding wrist. He was whimpering like a puppy. The nurse laid her hand on his chest...

"Hyaargh!" Inuyasha screamed and tried to push the nurse away.

"What is wrong?" the nurse asked.

"It f*cking burns!" Inuyasha shouted in pain.

"We'll get the doctor here right now", the young nurse said.

"What are we supposed to do before you get back here?" Sango asked.

"Just try to keep him from clawing himself."

And that was not easy.

As Inuyasha's right hand was almost like paralyzed from the infected wound was and didn't really itch, Inuyasha was scratching his left arm hard. And his shoulders and chest.

Miroku sighed and crawled to him.

"Inuyasha, please, Please don't do that..." he sighed, but didn't to grab the boy's wrist, as he knew that would cause him horrific pain.

So the doctor arrived.

"So, now what we are seeing is that the Curse Weed is starting to take effect", he said and sat by Inuyasha. "Okay now..." he reached towards Inuyasha's forehead, but the boy pushed the hand away. "Well, what we can clearly see is that he is at least in a bit better shape. When he came here, he couldn't even sit up by himself. Now he can."

Everyone smiled and nodded. But their smiles faded when they saw Inuyasha scratching himself and hissing in pain.

"But seriously, Inuyasha. I have to check your fever."

Inuyasha growled quietly, but let the doctor touch his forehead. After maybe five seconds he sighed and turned away to Inuyasha's friends who were sitting behind Inuyasha and the doctor.

"I'd say his fever is not getting really better..."

"But I have a way to check it out", Kagome said and took her giant yellow backpack from the room's corner. She dug out the thermometer and knelt down by Inuyasha and the doctor.

"...And what is that?" the doctor asked, very confused.

"Let me show you", Kagome nodded and pointed Inuyasha's face with the thermometer. "Inuyasha, time to check your fever."

As much as Inuyasha hated these situations, he didn't protest.

"What about now?" asked the doctor.

"Just a minute", Kagome said without even looking at the doctor. She just stroked the boy's bangs. But only because Inuyasha didn't seem to mind. This made the girl smile.

After a minute...

"Aaaand..." Kagome grabbed the thermometer and showed it the doctor. "This little... shall I say 'stick' can tell if you have low, normal, high or really high temperature."

"So, does it tell Inuyasha's fever?" the doctor wondered.

"Yes... And this means his fever is actually getting better than when we arrived here", Kagome smiled.

"Yaaayyyy!" Shippo pounced and clapped his tiny hands. Miroku and Sango were also smiling. Only Inuyasha wasn't smiling. He kept scratching himself.

"I guess we have just one choice to help him with that rash", the doctor nodded.

"But how?" Miroku asked.

"Just apply a very thick layer of that lotion there where he has rash, scars and blood. Then bandage the areas where you put the lotion. This not also helps the rash better than just massaging the lotion. And the bandages will protected the wounds."

Everyone nodded. And so, the doctor left.

Now Inuyasha was lying on his mattress as Kagome had started to apply the lotion. And, again Inuyasha seemed clearly to be in pain.

"Just a while, Inuyasha", Kagome nodded. She was feeling really down. Making his... er... boyfriend (?) to be in so much pain.

After his left arm and wrist, stomach and chest were bandaged, Inuyasha curled up on his mattress. Kagome knelt by him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Even though you clearly are getting better, you seem still very sick and your fever is still high..." Kagome said and looked behind her. She saw the empty wooden bucket. "I'll go get some water..."

"No", Miroku stopped her. "Let me go."

Kagome smiled with a nod.

Right after Miroku was out of the room, Kagome grabbed the cup of rash lotion.

"This lotion is the answer to our prayers, Inuyasha", she said quietly. Inuyasha sat looked at her.

"Ya do know how horrible that disgusting goo stinks?" Inuyasha growled quietly. Kagome first just nodded... but then stopped her eyes wide.

"...Wha'?", Inuyasha mumbled and looked over his shoulder, towards Kagome.

"You're speech is starting to... sound more like normal", she smiled and started to stroke his hair.

"Okay now, here-" said Miroku, who came in from the door. But Sango shushed by holding her finger against her mouth. First Miroku just stood there quietly, until he saw the cute scene going on in the other side of the room. He grinned, walked slowly and quietly towards the teens, and was just about to put down the water bucket...

"Ya don't seriously think I didn't know you were there did'ya", Inuyasha mumbled.

"Hehe..." Miroku grinned, rubbing his neck.


	9. First Steps

I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be the last one. Thank you for over 1100 views. Now, as this fic is about to end, and I am eager to carry on writing... But I have no idea about the subject of the story... so if you'd have any idea what my next fic would be about, let me know! (And mind that I write only Inu-fics)

9 - First Steps

"Inuyasha?" a tender, quiet voice called from somewhere. "...Inuyasha..."

The dog boy opened his eyes. He saw them: Shippo sitting on his chest, and Kagome, sitting by his side. Inuyasha groaned a bit and bared his teeth, but sat up slowly. Kagome held her arm against his back to help him stay up.

"Nice to see you're awake", the girl smiled. Inuyasha looked at her a bit confused.

"... Has something happened?" he asked with his eyes wide.

"You slept all yesterday..." Kagome sighed. "But maybe it was good. You didn't need to be in pain, and your scars got to heal."

"Do ya' still itch?" Shippo asked.

"Actually..." Inuyasha pondered and started examining his body. Now there were bandages everywhere, not just on the-wound-that-started-this-all, but also on his chest, stomach and left arm. But those wounds were pretty small, nothing to worry about. And so, Inuyasha answered the little kitsune. "No."

"Are you in pain?" Kagome asked.

"A bit..." Inuyasha mumbled. "My head..."

This made Kagome smile a bit sad. "Let me", she said quietly and put the boy down, his head on her lap. She stroke his head between his ears.

"By the way..." Inuyasha mumbled his eyes half-closed. "Where are Miroku and Sango?"

"They went for lunch", Kagome answered. "You will get a surprise when they return."

Shippo and Kirara sat about two meters from the teen-duo, smiling. "Nice to see Inu is getting better, right Kirara?" the little boy said and leaned to the cat youkai, who mewed and started purring.

At the dining room, Miroku and Sango were almost finished with their lunches. But they didn't want to hustle, so they took their time. So they joined at a table with a few young female nurses.

"Would you mind if we sit here, pretty ladies?" Miroku asked with a grin. This made Sango a little bit pissed of. So they sat down.

"So you had your lunch", one nurse said. "We too. And now we will have some dessert. Would you like some too? We will pay for you."

"That sounds nice", Miroku nodded and winked. Even Sango smiled, even when Miroku was acting a bit lecherous.

It didn't take long when two nurses returned, both carrying trays of dessert bowls. They put them down on everyone's places and sat down.

"Smells good", Sango smiled after sniffing the red liquid in the cup. "But... What is it?"

"Strawberry soup with some herbs and sugar", one nurse said in between sips from the cup.

Miroku and Sango looked at each other with a smile.

"Cheers!" Miroku cheered and lift up his cup.

"Cheers!" all the women around the table cheered.

Finally, it was time to leave the dining room. This room was really important for Inuyasha's friends' mental health in this situation. They could finally let the nursing and get to speak to someone who knows what's going on and someone who can eat and sit up by himself.

"Here you go", a pretty fat female cook said and gave two trays to Miroku and Sango. "This is the same food you just ate, for the young man and the girl", she said. Sango started digging her breast pocket, but this time it was Miroku who stopped her.

"My turn to pay", he said and emptied his money pouch on his left hand. "So, four meals with desserts... How much?"

"1650 yen (~15 USD)", the cook answered. Miroku counted the coins pretty slowly and finally handed them over. "Thank you", the cook smiled and bowed a little. Miroku and Sango smiled and left the room.

Now the duo walked the endless corridors of the hospital. During these over two weeks of being here they had learned the ways to the dining room and back, and to the garden, where they had breaks from taking care of Inuyasha every now and then. And once, Kagome and Sango had taken a bath in the bathroom.

Now they got there, to the door 32. Miroku knocked the door and slid it open. They got in and saw Inuyasha awake.

"Hey", Sango smiled. "You're awake!"

"He's feeling a lot better", Kagome nodded. "How was your lunch?"

"That sure was refreshing!" Miroku smiled and sat down next to Inuyasha. "And how are you doing, my friend?" he asked. Inuyasha didn't say anything, but sniffed the air (he could smell the delicious food) and sat up.

"Oh? You can sit?" Miroku wondered.

"I sure can..." Inuyasha mumbled.

"So, as I said Miroku and Sango would bring you 'a surprise', it was a meal from the dining room. So, since you can sit, maybe you could also eat?" Kagome suggested.

"Maybe. But first... let's go out", the boy said.

"Out? Are you su-?" Kagome tried to ask, but she was interrupted by Inuyasha starting to slowly get up from the mattress. But he fell down after getting on his knees. Then Kagome gave Miroku a look, and they both nodded. They grabbed Inuyasha from his armpits, lying his arms on their shoulders.

"We'll help you out", Miroku said calmly. Inuyasha didn't answer, but started taking small steps. Sango, Shippo and Kirara followed them from some distance. It took a while, but the moment came – Inuyasha was out of the room. The boy looked around weakly. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes with a little smile. It was wonderful to see something else than those stupid four walls around him in that stupid same room.

It took a long time, but the trio even got the the nearest veranda. Kagome opened it's door...

"Isn't it wonderful? It's so beautiful out here", Kagome smiled. Inuyasha nodded with a little smile. "But just tell us when you want to go back and rest", Kagome said. "You can't move too much, you are in very bad shape."

"Yes. Your stomach is the same size as my thigh", Miroku said maybe a bit jokingly and pat his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder.

The round took a while, but they hadn't really walked many steps. Then finally, Inuyasha started shaking a bit and said:

"I guess it's time to return..."

"Okay", Miroku nodded. They turned around. Otherwise the journey back to the room 32 would have been easy, but those stairs. Five stairs from ground to the veranda. "I'll lift you up...!" Miroku said and carried Inuyasha up the stairs. Kagome just walked by them. When they got to the verandah and in from the door, Kagome reached for Inuyasha's arm again to do her share of helping Inuyasha walk. But suddenly Inuyasha shook his right arm off Miroku's shoulder and pushed Kagome's away.

"What are you doi-?" Miroku was about to say, when the boy started taking small, shaking steps by his own. First Miroku and Kagome just stood still with their eyes wide, until Miroku started smiling and clapping his hands, Kagome almost dancing of joy.

"Inuyasha! You're walking! You are finally walking on your on!" the girl laughed and ran to the hanyou. Inuyasha didn't turn back to her, but carried on walking slowly.

Inuyasha started taking faster and faster steps. After a while he just had to stop. Kagome ran to him.

"Please take your time", she said. "Or do you need our help?"

"Hell no", Inuyasha mumbled and started walking again. "We have soup to eat. And I want it hot."

Miroku and Kagome looked at each other and grinned. Yes! Inuyasha had appetite!

Finally the trio arrived to the door of room 32. Now it was Inuyasha who opened it. Shippo and Sango turned their head towards the door, and both got amazed.

"I-is it Inuyasha? Walking on his own?" Sango wondered. Inuyasha nodded. He walked slowly to his mattress and crashed down on his butt.

"How are you feeling now?" Miroku asked, and he and Kagome sat down on the floor.

"Gimme the soup", Inuyasha said snobbishly. Even though his tone of voice offended the others, Kagome gave Inuyasha the cup with a smile as the boy started drinking it with a great appetite.

Now the soup was finished. Inuyasha wiped his mouth on his bandaged left arm.

"There's more, Inuyasha", Kagome said and handed over the strawberry soup cup to Inuyasha.

"I'm kinda full up", Inuyasha resisted.

"You should eat as much as you can", Miroku said. "You have to gain a lot of weight. You're still so thin you would get killed by a cockroach in a battle."

This made Inuyasha look grumpy and growl quietly. But he grabbed the cup quickly and started drinking, faster and faster every sip. The cup was finished within seconds.

"More", he said after wiping his mouth again. Everyone looked each other and finally nodded with a smile.

"I can go", Sango said and took the tray of empty cups.

As Sango was on her way to the dining room, she met dr. Takuya.

"Oh... Hello", Sango greeted with a smile and a bow.

"Are you still hungry?" he asked.

"Actually, not me, but Inuyasha", she nodded, smiling like an angel. Dr. Takuya seemed very surprised.

"You mean, he's eating and asking for more?"

"And there's more! He has taken some steps on his own!"

"I'll go see him right away", the man nodded and walked away. Sango carried on to the way towards the dining room.

Back in room 32...

Inuyasha laid on his mattress, tired. So much had happened today. He had been out, took steps on his own and even eaten with great appetite. He laid down on his side took deep breaths.

"Are you tired?" Miroku asked calmly.

"Yea."

They heard a knock, and dr. Takuya came in.

"Hello there", he chuckled. "I heard from your friend that you are starting to feel better, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha nodded. And before the doctor walked in, Inuyasha started getting slowly up. First on his knees, and then completely up. He was shaking a bit, but walked slowly to the doctor. The doctor was very surprised. He clapped his hands a few times and nodded.

"Get back to bed, so I can see your wounds."

And so Inuyasha sat down on the mattress, so the doctor could take off the chest- and stomach bandages. After this was done, he laid down completely, and the bandages in his both arms were taken off. This made the doctor smile.

"All the scars you got because of scratching the rash are gone. The badly infected wound has started to heal somewhat, but for some reason, it's still bleeding a bit... But it will eventually stop, maybe tomorrow, maybe next month... You are not vomiting on coughing anymore, you are slowly getting to move by your own... I am very happy to tell you that the Curse Weed had this time rescued the patient. There is no danger anymore. He will survive."

Everyone looked so astounded they just looked at each other, until Kagome got up and ran to Inuyasha. And so did Shippo, Sango, Miroku and Kirara. All the women and the kitsune hugged Inuyasha, and Miroku sat by them, smiling, and petting Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Kyaa!" Kagome shouted with tears of joy in her eyes. "You'll make it! You're gonna make it!"

The doctor smiled and sat by Miroku.

"This is one of the best parts of my job. Seeing very sick patients get better, and seeing their loved ones joy and relief."

"Yes. We are like a family", Miroku nodded. "We always care for each other."

They looked at each other and shook hands.

"So..." Miroku said and took out his money pouch. "This would be a pretty costly thing, almost three weeks here, nurses, food and medicine for Inuyasha..."

"You're not leaving today. We'll discuss the payment when you do, which will be within a few days, a week at max", the doctor shook his head. "But whenever that happens, you don't need to worry if you don't have enough money. We have never taken all our patient's money."

Miroku seemed relieved and put the pouch back in the depths of his robe.

"I'll be going now", dr. Arayo said as he walked to the door. "Just call a nurse to get me if you need... which I think is very unlikely." This is when Kagome got up from the floor and ran the doctor and...

hugged him.

"Thank you so much! Thank you so, so much!" she was almost crying. "If it wasn't for you, Inuyasha would be dead!"

First the doctor seemed very baffled, but finally hugged back gently.

Everyone in the room smiled. Even Inuyasha.


End file.
